


Al Bhed Mind Tricks

by Torrin



Category: Final Fantasy X, Final Fantasy X-2
Genre: Al Bhed, Alternate Universe, Conflict, Confusing Mind Tricks, Major character death - Freeform, Tricky Relationship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-02-14
Updated: 2014-03-10
Packaged: 2018-01-12 09:47:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,651
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1184788
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Torrin/pseuds/Torrin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I fixed the formatting errors. So now a summary is in order, I suppose. This is a fanfic in which Shuyin wasn't sent in FFX-2. He basically just left for a while, then came back. Paine and Nooj's relationship is fine, even though she was shot. And now, realizing Shuyin is back, Crimson Squad and Rikku team up to defeat him once and for all. Bmayca ahzuo Ym Prat Seht Dnelgc, yht vaam vnaa du mayja gituc!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Off to a Bad Start

**Author's Note:**

> Author's note: never ever copy and paste blindly and post. It screwed me over haha but I think I've got all the format errors fixed.

He runs his callused fingers over her slender face. Then across the scar she bears under her left eye. The scar isn't too noticeable. Just a white dot the size of a bullet. "Paine...I'm...I'm sorry about..." Nooj starts to say, but cannot, due to the tears slowly coming out of his eyes. "Nooj. It's fine. Old news. You can't keep dwelling on the past." she says to him as she runs her tiny hand over his. For the first time in thirteen years, she knows what it's like to feel his touch again. She looks up and sees the few tears on his cheek. "Nooj. It's fine. Let's just live in the present. Forget the past, and deal with what's now." she says sternly. He nods and blinks the tears away, then puts his arms around her waist. Tendrils of warmth and happiness seem to envelop the two as they hold each other.

"Thirteen years is a long time to wait for someone ya know?" he whispers in her ear. "Yeah. It is. But it's worth it." she whispers back. She looks up again, but cannot see any flaws or depression. As his eyes lock on hers, neither blink for what seems like an ethereal eternity. "We're kinda like Tidus and Yuna....except...we're Al Bhed. And not dead." Nooj says, a goofy grin across his face. Paine simply flashes a grin that says _I agree, But you shouldn't make jokes like that._ Just by looking into her eyes, he knows her response. "Yeah sorry." he replies earnestly. "Nooj. Paine with ya?" a familiar Al Bhed voice calls out, followed by a loud rasp against the metal door. "Yeah Gip. Be out in a minute." he replies hastily. Soon the door slides open, revealing two Al Bhed, the male being taller than the female. "Hehe. What were you two doing?" Gippal asks his companions. "Well, I could waste time telling you, but the clock says it's time meet Baralai for briefing." Nooj says, one eyebrow raised higher than the other. Gip nods and walks next to Nooj and Paine towards the Map Room of their airship.

"Took y'all long enough. Okay take your seats and listen up." Rikku says angrily. "I have some bad news. Shuyin took over Baralai's head. He went on a rampage and shot Pops. He needs to be stopped." she says as she pops her knuckles and fingers. "So were gonna take down Baralai. And you're calling the shots because he isn't here." Nooj says hesitantly. Rikku nods at his statements. She has a tear bead forming in each eye. "He'll be okay Ri-Ru. Trust me. Shuyin took over Nooj and look, he's fine. And we're all fine." Paine says, trying to calm “Ri-Ru’s” nerves. "Why haven't we been notified of this already? When did it happen?" Gippal asks, his brow furrowed. "Last night on a supply run. I was to keep it a secret from civilians. We don't want an uproar. But now you know, keep the secret. We leave in an hour." Rikku says, a bold expression on her face, and a tense tone in her voice. The room is filled with silence, and a blanket of fear and sorrow, due to the villain Shuyin’s return. The subtle and faint tick tock of the room's clock can be heard by everyone, and even though it annoys them all nobody says anything.

"Where are Nooj and Paine?" Rikku asks Gippal. "Hehe. Those two have been inseparable since they got on the ship. My guess is, they're in Nooj's room." Gippal says, flashing Ri-Ru a toothy grin. "Oooooooh. They're like that again." she replies, eyes wide. "Well. Hm. Not quite sure how to respond Gip. That kinda threw me off balance." she says, voice cracking. "Me too. But I guess we just go with it. They picked up where they last left off. Only, there isn't a bullet stuck in her face." he chuckles. They bother laugh uncontrollably at his smarmy remark.

Meanwhile, while the Al Bhed nearly die of laughing to hard, Nooj and Paine seek solitude in Nooj's room. "So. Shuyin's back..." Nooj says quietly, almost as if out of fear. "Nooj, are you scared?" Paine dares to ask. He doesn't answer with a verbal response. His head droops, and bobbles as he sobs. Paine strokes his cheek with her slender fingers. "It'll be okay. We can beat him this time." she reassures him. He still doesn't respond with words, just more sobs. Paine then realizes how great of a threat Shuyin is. He reduced Nooj to tears. He broke Nooj's will. Made him weak. If he can do this to Nooj, what'll he do to the rest of us? she asks herself in her head. "Paine, I need you here with me for this. Shuyin...he...he broke me. Destroyed my will..." he says, voice raspy. "I'm here Nooj. I won't leave you. I'm not going away." she says as she rests her head on his shoulders. Nooj looks down and notices she's on her toes. _Huh. Never noticed how short she is._

Nooj looks at the clock at notices the time. He only has fifteen mintues before their mission starts. All the while Paine has her face buried in his shoulder. He can smell the supple and almost kind smell of her perfume. He pulls her chin up gently, and presses his lips against hers. She doesn't fight it, and kisses him back. As the two pull apart there are three loud knocks against the door. "Time to go." says Nooj as walks to the door.


	2. Bad News in Bevelle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group lands in Bevelle easily, only to find bad news. But will they leave as easily as they entered?

 

With the group in the cockpit, the airship descends to Bevelle. From the air, tiny orange spots litter the city. Different blurs of color can be seen running. Some were covered in the orange pastel plaster. Essentially, orange is fire and the blurs are people. The sights sicken Crimson Squad, even though they are used to such casualties. "Not again. He has to stopped. He...he can't keep doing this." Gippal mutters, blinking away a single tear in his good eye.

As the ship gets closer to ground level, smoke covers all the windows. Nothing can be seen but a grayish white haze. Soon screams can be heard. But only faintly. Then comes the crackle and pop of fire. When the ship hits the ground it cradles ashes and a corpse or two. the landing bay opens, and a squad of Al Bhed appear as they walk down the ramp. “Wow. Shuyin did this. All of this. We’ve got to stop him…” Paine whispers “but where do we start our search?”.

A man is on the ground, holding his chest as blood leaks out with every heartbeat. "What happened to you?" Rikku asks the man. He just looks up, a horrendous expression of pain on his face. His mouth was contorted to a wicked scowl, his eyes glossy. The small blonde runs to him, and cradles his chest in her arms.

"Bar...Baralai shot me. I don't know why. Stop him. He...he stole a hover...and..and flew towards Luca." he says, life draining from his body with every word. Then he closes his eyes, and his heart stops. Rikku lays him down and walks back to the group. “Get back on the ship. Shuyin took of to Luca. We can’t waste any time here.” she says darkly, tone full of scorn.

“Rikku. We have to stay and help the people.” Gippal says as his hand is placed on her shoulder. “No. Stay if you like. I’m going.” she says “who’s with me?”. Gippal shakes his head and mutters some Al Bhed as he follows her up the ramp and into the ship. Nooj and Paine, who've still been inseparable, don't know what to do other than keep their group together. "Huuz, fa ryja du cdub Crioeh." Paine whispers. "E ghuf. Yht fa ryja du rinno. Fa ryjah'd kud silr desa." he whispers back, trying not to alert the others. She nods, and wraps her fingers around his metallic prosthetics as they enter the ship.

"Rikku are you gonna be able to do this? I mean, you're pretty strung out already. We can't have you killing Baralai. And think about this. We don't have a summoner to send Shuyin. Now what?" Gippal asks her. There is a long and awkward pause before she can answer. A pause in which Paine and Nooj are still glued together, and Gippal had put some distance between himself and Rikku. "I don't know Gippal. Okay? I don't know. Is that what you want to here?" she asks as she burrows her face into her arms.

"Look. I say we tail Baralai, but we don't engage him. He'll destroy us. The only way we can get anything done is with a summoner. We don't have a summoner." he says, his visible brow low as if he is angry. Paine takes a second away from Nooj and says "Well there's always Issaru." This was said in an uneasy tone. "We don't even know where Issaru is. I haven't seen him since he screwed my old crew over." Rikku says. Paine, who has realized she is right, furrows her brow, a typical thing anyone does while thinking. "Rikku, you saw Yuna do sendings. You could do it." Paine says. "Paine it doesn't work like that. I'm not a summoner." she replies. “I know, I just thought it was worth a try.” she replies, bowing her head in frustration. “Tyssed.” Nooj says. “What’s wrong Nooj?” Paine replies. He takes off his glasses and wipes them against his jumpsuit. “Nothing. The entire mission is just frustrating. Knowing that Shuyin is still out there...it scares me.” Nooj says. A few seconds pass and the ship is hit with a tremendous force. A wall bursts into flames, and the ship is sent spiraling downward.


End file.
